Al-Ghazali on Love, Longing, Intimacy & Contentment (Ghazali series)

Following intensive research, the purchase of this book has been a part of the process of building a library of Islamic literature, that relates particularly to seeking the path of excellence in spirituality, purification of the heart, ascetism, and an appreciation and understanding of the experiences of those who have followed this very path previously. The goal, God willing, in turn is to be inspired and motivated to seek success in a journey of personal development. Hence, this book is a piece of the puzzle of the big picture. I have been very pleased with this book. I love Imam Ghazali's writings. In my opinion he is the 'king' of writings relating to purification of the heart - Tazkiya tun nafs.

In his profound and stunning short story "The Three Questions" Leo Tolstoy tells us about a king to whom it once occurred, that if he always knew the right time to begin everything; if he knew who were the right people to listen to, and whom to avoid; and, above all, if he always knew what was the most important thing to do, he would never fail in anything he might undertake. --- On his painful search for an answer he meets a hermit, a Christian saint, a big light, who teaches him through his love, patience and wisdom the essence of happiness (and unveils the answers to the three questions...)...... and this very (eternal) theme is also the essence a muslim saint, the legendary sufimaster Abu Hamid Al-Ghazali QAS writes about in his masterpiece "The Book of Love, Longing, Intimacy and Contentment".The spiritual focus and starting point is the beautiful prayer of Prophet Muhammad SAS:"O my God, grant me love of You and love of those who love You and love of whatever brings me closer to You. Make love of You dearer to me than cool water!" (p. 7).This very essence of Islam - that unfourtunately not enough Muslims know about - leads Al-Ghazali QAS to begin his magnum opus with: "In the Name of God, Most Compassionate and Merciful! PRAISED BE GOD, Who has exalted the hearts of His saints above all concern for the vanities and the glamour of this world, Who has purified their inmost being from regard for anything but His Presence... and disclosed to them His Names and His Attributes so that they shone with the very fire of knowing Him, Who then revealed to them the splendours of His Face until they burned in the fire of His Love... at once drowned in the sea of knowing Him and scorched in the fire of loving Him." (p. 1)This book is - beyond any doubts - one of the three most important books in Islamic literature because it explains in brilliant words the essence of all Divine religions. Al-Ghazali QAS cites explanatory proof-texts from Divine Revelations on the lofty subject of love. He then explains the true nature of love and its causes. He then shows that there is no one who truely deserves love except for God the Exalted. He then makes you discover that the greatest of all pleasures resides in gazing upon the Face of God, and that there is an even greater pleasure of gazing on His Face in the life to come as compared to mere knowledge in this life. After this he explains the means to strenghten the love of God the Exalted. The inability of the human mind to know God is followed by a consideration of the meaning of longing. After that Al-Ghazali QAS discusses God's love for His creatures, the signs of human love for God the Exalted, followed by an explanation of the meaning of intimacy with God the Exalted and All-Loving One - since according to Islam - in the words of Jesus SAS: "GOD IS LOVE". From that blissful insight Al-Ghazali QAS gives an account of what gladness in intimacy means, and then discusses the meaning of contentment and its particular virtue explaining its true nature. Ultimately tales and sayings ascribed to various lovers/saints are presented, like these:"God revealed to Jesus (peace be upon him), 'When I search out a man's innermost heart and find no love either for this world or the next, I fill him full of love for Me and shelter him with My protection.' " (p. 190) or"In the Traditions it is said that God revealed to one of His prophets, "I take as My friend only him who is not tepid in remembrance of Me, one who has no grave concern other than Me, and one who prefers nothing in My creation over Me..." (p. 187).Al-Ghazali tirelessly focuses on the value of the sole and ultimate goal of all gnostic lovers, the virtuous Muhsinin: to arrive in all humbleness and love at an encounter with God the Exalted, for only this is the delight of their compassionate and longing hearts since "no soul knows what delights have been stored up for them." (Quran al Karim, Sura As-Sajda, 32,17).Following THIS Sufi-path, as it was taught by Al-Ghazali in his magnum opus - the pure essence of authentic Islamic life aimed at reaching enlightment and peace of the heart as well as infinite love - Jalal Al-Din Rumi QAS sings in his beautiful love-poetry:"In this earth, in this soil, in this pure field let's not plant any seed other than the seeds of compassion and love." and "Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it." and "Now is where love breathes." and "The very center of your heart is where life beginns - the most beautiful place on earth." and then: "The gardens may flow with beauty. But let us go to the Gardener Himself."Yes indeed, Paradise may be the source of the pleasures of the senses but the longing hearts of true lovers search for their supreme pleasure in the encounter with GOD ALONE.

Not the full book!

An excellent translation of a central chapter from al-Ghazālī's masterpiece Ihyā. The translator Eric Ormsby, one of the prominent experts in Islamic intellectual history, introduces the volume with a well-structured article on the concept of divine love in Islamic thought, and identifies where al-Ghazālī stands in this issue. Then you read al-Ghazālī's thoughts in his usual mellifluous style. You will see in this volume how he found a room for divine love within his Ash'arī worldview, but without compromising his theological principles. Especially while talking about the subjects of love, you will be fascinated by the psychological and philosophical depth of al-Ghazālī's analyses. Truly a must read.

Was very eagerly reading through and thoroughly enjoying the introduction when it was sadly cut short and somehow jumped from page XXXII onto page 15 which is Chapter 2. So missing an entire chapter is missing as well as part of Chapter 2, so will sadly be returning this copy.Other than that the book is fab and I love the paper and font size makes for easy and enjoyable reading.(UPDATE: Amazon promptly sent a new copy the following day 😀)

The book touches on the higher stations that the spiritual wayfarer can aspire to. It may be useful to read the books on patience and spiritual discipline in advance of this book as those are lower stations on Ghazali's spiritual framework. The books certainly opened my eyes to the nature of the relationship between man and God, servant and master; one that transcends a relationship based on obedience out of fear and hope for reward. Love and longing here are described as the highest basis for one's actions in this world.

A book that should be a reference for anyone serious about love but the ultimate love should be reserved for the one True Love, our Creator.

My favourite book so far in the Ghazali series, philosophical, thought provoking and a great read.

Great read